Pliers



April 19, 1927. 1,625,615

A. KUTTES PLIERS Filed Feb. 13. 1926 (5 jwlwp.

A T'I'ORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

ANTHONY KUTIES, ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

PLIERS.

Application filed February 13, 1926. Serial No. 88,001.

My invention relates to pliers and like devices which are particularly designed for forcibly engaging objects of widely different sizes.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the handles thereof may at all times be most advantageously disposed with respect to each other independently of the size of an object to be gripped.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device having a high mechanical advantage and which is at the same time of asimple structure having a minimum number of parts.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings Figures 1 and 2 are side views of one embodiment of the device in gripping relation to small and large objects respectively.

In pliers of the well known crossed-lever type, the angle defined by the handles varies with the size of the object to be gripped, with the result that the efficiency of use of such a plier is variable through a wide range. To obviate this difiiculty, in a measure at least, the device of shifting the common pivot point in one lever member transversely of the plane of its jaw face has heretofore been resorted to, but not only has such a device involved a setting of the pivot in a proper socket each time the plier is used, but the mechanical advantage thereof is merely that of the crossed levers and is comparatively low. In accordance with my invention, however, a plier structure is provided which not only permits primarily positioning the handles in the best possible operative relation for using the pliers by merely drawing them together, but also possesses a comparatively high mechanical advantage.

As shown in Figure 1, the pliers of my invention comprise crossed jaw members 5 and 6 pivotally secured together at intermediate portions thereof about a pivot pin 7. The members 5 and 6, it will be noted, are here shown provided at one extremity with jaw portions 8 having preferably arcuate and toothed bearing surfaces 9, said surfaces being oppositely disposed for receiving and gripping an object 11 between them. Means are provided whereby manual force may be utilized to cause the jaws to grip the object 11, such means comprising, in part, a handle 12 fixedly related to the member 5 and here shown formed integral therewith. livotally secured to the member 6 at a point thereon spaced from and at the opposite side of the member 5 from its jaw portion is a handle member 13, said member being preferably formed of similar shape tothe handle 12 and secured to the member 6 by means of a suitable pivot 14. 7

It will now be noted that when work is gripped by the pliers, the handles 12 and 13 are oppositely disposed with the portions thereof arranged to be engaged by a hand and are preferably so spaced that a most efficient hand grip may be effected to press them together. In order that such a relation may obtain between the handles for various angular relations of the jaws, means are provided for adjustable operative engagement between the handle 13 and memher 5. As here shown, such means comprises the provision of a segmental ratchet rack 16 on the member 5 adjacent the pivot 7 and a cooperating tooth or pawl 17 on the handle 13 adjacent the pivot 14. It will now be noted that with the jaws disposed against an object to be gripped, the drawing of the handles together will primarily cause the engagement of the pawl 17 with one of the rack teeth, after which a further urging of the handles together will cause the pawl 17 to fulcrum against such tooth to pivotally move the member 5 about the pivot 7 and thus cause the forcible gripping of the object 11 between the jaws 8. To facilitate the manipulation of the device, the pawl 17 is preferably normally held out of engagement with the ratchet teeth by means of a spring 18 fixed to the member 6 and engaging a boss 19 provided on the handle 13 whereby said handle may be held in such position that relative pivotal movement of the members 5 and 6 will not cause contact of the ratchet teeth therewith. It will be noted that the ratchet rack 16 is preferably curved with the pivot 7 as the center of its arc and mally held by the spring 18 that primary contact of the pawl with a rack tooth should preferably take place closely adjacent the plane of the pivots and on the handle side thereoii. And it will be further noted that the smaller the ratio of the radius of swinging oi": the pawl to the radius of swing of the ratchet tooth engaged by the pawl, the greater will be the mechanical advantage of the device.

It will be noted that in Figure 2 the pliers are shown in gripping relation to an object 11 of larger size than is the object 11.. There also shown in dotted lines the llillb die 13 in the position in which it is norto allow free relative movement ol the members 5 and 6.

1. In a pliers, a member having a jaw portion and a handle portion, a second member pivotally secured to said first member and lniving a jaw portion arranged to co operate with the jaw portion of said first member, a handle pivotally secured to said second member, and variably engageable cooperating means on said second handle and said first member adapted to cause the urging of said jaws together when said handles are urged together.

52. In a pliers, a member having relatively lined jaw and handle portions, a second member pivotally secured to said first member and having a jaw portion arranged to coope ate with the jaw portion of? said first member, a handle pivotally secured to said second member, and normally disengaged means on said second handle and said first member adapted to cooperate to urge said jaws together when said handles are urged together.

A pliers comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaw members provided with cooperating jaws, a lever secured to one of said members in fixed relation thereto, a second lever pivotally secured to the other of said members and in generally opposed rela tion to said first lever, and cooperating pawl earners and ratchet means on said second lever and said first member whereby said jaws may be urged together when said lovers are urged together.

4-. A. pliers comprising a pair oil pivotally associated jaw members having opposed jaw portions, a lever secured to one of said members in fixed relation thereo, a second lever pivotally secured to the other of said members, and cooperating means on said second lever and normally disengaged, said first member engageable to effect the actuation of said jaws only when said levers are in a substantially constant prei'l-etermined opposed relation.

A pliers comprising a pair of pivotally associated jaw members, a lever secured to one of said members in fixed relation thereto, a second lever pivotally secured to the other of said members, apawl on said second lever, and ratchet teeth on said first jaw member arranged to be engaged by said pawl upon movement of said levers toward each other, dillerent teeth being arranged to lie in the path of said pawl for diil erent angular relations of said jaw members.

6. A. pliers comprising a pair of jaw members, a common pivot means or said members, a lever fixedly secured to one 01 said members, a second lever, a second pivot means securing said second lever in fixed pivotal relation to the second of said members, the axis oi said second pivot means being parallel to and spaced from that of said first pivot means, and normally disengaged cooperating means on opposed portions of said second lever and first jaw member arranged to become engaged upon the mutually inward movement of said levers and to thereafter cause the operative actuation of said jaws.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Oakland, California, this 26th day of January, 1926.

ANTHONY KUT'IIGS. 

